What’s Up Dunwoody

Podcast 334 - The Low-Key Walk That Became Dunwoody's Newest Community - Jess Zeewy & Delia O'Malley Jess Zeewy and Delia O'Malley were just doing their normal walk around Brook Run Park, until they decided to invite some friends along. 27 Dunwoody women showed up. We talked about their zero expectations philosophy, why admitting adult friendship is hard, and how the group spans every age. Tha...

Podcast 333 - How IHG Became One of Dunwoody's Biggest Community Partners - Colin Macdonald Dunwoody just had its 50th annual 4th of July Parade, and by every account it was the biggest and best one yet. IHG Hotels & Resorts was this year's platinum sponsor, and I sat down with Colin Macdonald, who runs IHG's franchise operations across the U.S. and Canada, to find out why a company headquarte...

Podcast 332 - A New Season, a New Stadium, and Players Who Make Dunwoody Proud - Coach Matt Schmitz Coach Schmitz is back on the podcast, and Dunwoody football is in an exciting spot. It had been almost a year since our last conversation, and the program is heading into year two with real momentum, a returning coaching staff, and nearly a hundred kids on the roster. We covered a lot. Coach talked...

Podcast 331 - Dunwoody's Insider Summer Guide, From the 50th Parade to the World Cup - Mark Galvin After watching the U.S. beat Paraguay in the 2026 FIFA World Cup — one of the most historic wins in U.S. soccer history — the energy around Dunwoody this summer is electric. Mark Galvin of Discover Dunwoody came on the podcast already pumped about the World Cup, and it's easy to see why: local restau...

Podcast 330 - Dunwoody Tavern is Bringing Back their Dunwoody Beer Fest as Tunes and Taps - Huw Thomas & Miguel Romero Huw Thomas has been running pubs in Dunwoody longer than most of us have lived here, and Miguel Romero of Taqueria Los Hermanos has become one of the most beloved anchors at the Shops of Dunwoody. Together, they're bringing back a Dunwoody tradition that drew thousands of peop...

Podcast 329 - Dine Around Dunwoody Brings Food and Music to New Spots Across the City - Tim Brown Food Truck Thursdays is getting a refresh, and DHA President Tim Brown joined me to break it all down. After 15 years as a Dunwoody staple, the Dunwoody Homeowners Association decided it was time to shake things up, and what they came up with is worth getting excited about. Dine Around Dunwoody is the...

Podcast 328 - How Discover Dunwoody Is Selling the City to the World - Mark Galvin Mark Galvin from Discover Dunwoody sat down with me this week, and we got into some fun conversation. With World Cup coming to Atlanta and Dunwoody sitting on its strongest lineup of restaurants, events, and hotels in years, Mark makes the case that his organization has never had a bigger opportunity in front of the...

Podcast 327 - How to Get Involved in Dunwoody’s Nonprofits - Catherine Lautenbacher & Beth Lehman Catherine Lautenbacher and Beth Lehman are back on the podcast with something new to Dunwoody. A volunteer fair. On Friday, May 1st, the First Annual Perimeter Community Volunteer Fair is happening at Dunwoody United Methodist Church from 10am to 1pm, and if you've been meaning to get more involve...

Podcast 326 - Why World-Class Chefs Keep Showing Up to Cook in Dunwoody - Billy Kramer The Burger Benefit is back for one final year, with chefs like George Motz, Vinnie Cimino, Kevin Rathbun, and Freddy Money cooking one-day-only burgers at NFA Dunwoody on May 3rd. Every ticket dollar goes directly to the Giving Kitchen, and tickets just went on sale today. We also got deep into the Dunwoody rest...

Podcast 325 – How to Spot and Stop the Scams Hitting Dunwoody Right Now – Dale Cardwell   People in our community are losing thousands to fake job offers, government grant schemes, and AI voices impersonating family members. Most don't see it coming until it's too late.   Dale Cardwell has spent his whole life protecting people across the Top End of Atlanta. He's lived in this community for 25 yea...

Podcast 324 – High Street Expansion, Perimeter Mall Updates, and Kroger Gas Dunwoody is having a moment, and you can feel it in the steady wave of new businesses, fresh concepts, and cranes in the sky. Mark Galvin from Discover Dunwoody connects the dots on what’s changing around the Perimeter area, and why it all matters for locals. The High Street project is bigger than most people realize, stre...

Podcast 323 – What Dunwoody Parents Need to Know Before the March 26 DHS Meeting – Andrew Ziffer Thursday, March 26th at Dunwoody High School is shaping up to be one of the most important nights for local parents in quite some time. A 6pm meeting gives Dunwoody residents a chance to weigh in on school redistricting plans that could reshape our community. DeKalb School Board member Andrew Ziffer br...

Podcast 322 – Dunwoody High Reopens Its Renovated Theater with Little Women – Amanda Lower Dunwoody High School’s newly renovated theater is stepping into the spotlight with the Broadway musical Little Women. Director of Theatre Amanda Lower explains how the upgrade is transforming the Wildcat Theatre program and giving students hands-on experience with professional-level lighting and sound. A new...

Podcast 321 – How Morty’s Expansion and {S}table Are Reshaping Funwoody – Mitchell Abes Mitchell Abes shares how a few unexpected opportunities in Dunwoody Village allowed the Funwoody team to think bigger. When extra space suddenly became available, they did not hesitate. Walls were pushed back and new concepts took shape, creating fresh momentum near Perimeter Mall. {S}table is opening soon in t...

Podcast 320 – Coach Tez and the Rise of Dunwoody Girls Flag Football – Montez Swinney Dunwoody girls flag football has taken off in a big way, and Coach Tez is right at the center of it. Montez Swinney has helped turn Dunwoody girls flag football into one of the most talked about programs on campus, all rooted in one clear belief: FAMILY. He launched the team during COVID with just 22 girls and a...

Podcast 319 – The Feeney Legacy Project and Why You Should Always Call 911 – Lia Armistead Lia Armistead shares the story behind the Feeney Legacy Project, born from a tragic loss that might have had a different outcome. After her brother experienced cardiac arrest, the person with him hesitated to call 911 out of fear of getting in trouble. That delay mattered. Now her family is working to make s...

Podcast 318 – What Brings People to Dunwoody – Mark Galvin - Discover Dunwoody Dunwoody's buzzing, and Mark Galvin from Discover Dunwoody is here with the latest scoop. From croissants to laser tag, this episode covers what’s hot, what’s coming, and why locals are loving it. Rosetta Bakery and Varuni Napoli are coming to High Street—Rosetta brings buttery pastries and a European vibe, while Varuni...

Podcast 317 – Atlanta’s World Cup Moment Will Change Soccer Forever – Neil McNab, President of Georgia Soccer Who better to talk about soccer’s next big moment than Neil McNab? He’s the President of Georgia Soccer and the man who helped bring organized soccer to Dunwoody as Executive Director of Rush Union. The 2026 World Cup is headed to Atlanta, and if history repeats itself, the sport is about...

Podcast 316 – Burnout, Branding, and Building Something Better for Patients in Dunwoody – Dr. Dhaval R. Desai After 15 years as a hospital leader, Dr. Dhaval Desai stepped away from burnout and bureaucracy. He left the system to focus on people, not paperwork. His new home, Atlanta Internists, follows a Direct Primary Care model—no insurance middlemen, no rushed appointments, just time, access, an...

Podcast 315 – Meet Dunwoody’s Student Visionaries of the Year: Cure Chasers – Grayson Myddleton and Bramley Gordon Grayson Myddleton and Bramley Gordon, both sophomores at Dunwoody High, are leading the city’s first-ever Student Visionaries of the Year team: the Cure Chasers. With a $56,000 fundraising goal for Blood Cancer United, they’ve rallied 20+ local students to give back in a big way. Thei...

Podcast 314 – Pop-Ups, Ice Skating, and Holiday HQ in Dunwoody – Mark Galvin with Discover Dunwoody Holiday HQ is Discover Dunwoody’s seasonal campaign to bring the magic of the holidays to every corner of our city. It rounds up light shows, pop-up bars, restaurant specials, and local shopping—all in one easy-to-use site with QR codes posted around town. In this festive episode, Mark Galvin from D...

Podcast 313 – Big Play ATL Opens This Week with Food, Games, and Fun for All Ages – Valerie Inglesby Big Play ATL finally opens its doors this week, and Dunwoody locals are ready. This all-in-one entertainment center has been months in the making, and it shows. Who's ready for bowling, laser tag, mini golf, a full arcade, and a real restaurant, all under one roof?! They also own the shopping cente...

Podcast 312 – How Dunwoody High Counselors Support Every Student – Luke Ingram and Denise Spain Dunwoody High might be a big school, but it doesn’t feel that way once you meet the counselors. With my son Micah heading there next year from Cornerstone Christian Academy, I wanted to learn what makes the transition smoother—for him and for other families coming from private schools. So I sat down wit...

Podcast 311 – Why ATL Eyecare Feels More Like Family Than a Clinic – Dr. Tommy Koepke and Mary Anne Langman   ATL Eyecare was built for Dunwoody by people who know and love this community. Dr. Tommy Koepke and his sister-in-law Mary Anne Langman built a clinic that puts relationships first and delivers care that actually feels like care. With Tommy's wife Laura managing operations, this local trio...

Podcast 310 – Dunwoody’s Bring It Home Campaign and the DHS Stadium Everyone’s Talking About – Coach Tom Bass   Friday nights in Dunwoody are about to feel different. Principal and longtime coach Tom Bass joins the show to share how the Bring It Home Campaign is giving Dunwoody High the stadium it’s always deserved, boosting community pride and student spirit. The project will add 2,000 new seats,...